The Sanctuary of Saint Anthony the Abbot and Saint Anthony of Padua of Urkiola is a Catholic temple located in the hill and port of Urkiola, in the Biscayan municipality of Abadiño, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is unknown exactly how old the Sanctuary is, but according to some documents, it could have been between the 8th and 11th centuries, making it one of the oldest of the region. It is located at the heart of the Urkiola Natural Park, next to one of the historical routes linking the Cantabrian coast with the Castilian plateau and surrounded by a lush nature in which the limestone walls of the mountains of Durangaldea stand out as a background, with the Anboto as the highest altitude, where Basque mythology places the main dwelling of its highest deity, Mari (called the "Lady of Anboto").
The present structure, the third one known to exist, is an unfinished building in neo-medieval style that was begun in 1899 and consecrated in 1933. This building, together with a small bell tower erected in 1870, the rectory, the old hospital and the hospice, make up the religious complex, which is complemented by two small old chapels, the Santo Cristo and Santa Polonia, a Stations of the Cross and Calvary built in 1943, and the small cemetery in the rural neighborhood.
The Sanctuary
The sanctuary is right on the dividing line of the Mediterranean and Cantabrian slopes, so that the water that falls on one side of its roof goes to the Mediterranean Sea and the water that falls on the other side goes to the Cantabrian Sea.
The disproportion between the enormous construction of the unfinished naves and the small bell tower of the previous temple draws the attention of the visitors. A large staircase serves as access to the church, whose entrance is flanked by the unfinished walls of which would have been the towers and the portico.
The central nave forms a garden in which rises the small bell tower of neoclassical style, in the part that has not been occupied for worship. Among the different plants that adorn it, a small monument commemorating the lifestyles of Vizcaya has been erected. This monument is made up of an anchor, a laia and a stone turbine that symbolize the seafaring, agricultural and industrial life of Biscay, respectively.
Going up to the left, just at the entrance of the sanctuary, a rare stone (which many say is a meteorite), invites single people to go around it seven times clockwise, as it is believed that one will find a partner if they do so (if the turns are made backward, it is said that it has the opposite effect).
The side naves are now aisles that give access to the temple. The central nave has been closed with a large wall to form the space dedicated to liturgical use.
The church was designed in neo-medieval style and oriented to the use. As the work was left unfinished, the position of the altar was changed and it was turned upside down, leaning against the great wall that closes the nave. The rectangular landscape chancel has given place to the choir, and on its sides are the sacristy and a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament.
In the late 20th century, different renovations were carried out to finish off the unfinished work. These works, both on the exterior and interior, were promoted by the group of ex-missionaries belonging to the Basque diocesan missions, who took charge of the sanctuary in May 1970.
On the exterior, the large access staircase was built and the top of the wall that closes the main nave was smoothed.
In the interior, the walls that form the back of the altar were decorated with mosaics. For the main altar a large mosaic has been built covering the wall that closes the nave and on which a stained glass window has been opened with the figures of the two Saints Anthony, the Abbot and of Padua. Another mosaic has covered the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and a Stations of the Cross has been made on the floor of the nave, to which the Station of the Resurrection has been added. These mosaics and the Stations of the Cross were made in the sanctuary's own workshop.
Imagery The sanctuary has suffered several fires over the years, but among the sanctuary's collection there are several outstanding images. The images of the patron saints, Saint Anthony the Abbot and Saint Anthony of Padua, are of rococo style and date from the 17th century, as they are already mentioned in the inventory of 1605. The historian Labayru attributes them to the Elgoibar sculptor Juan de Iturriza, who was the author of the altarpiece of the previous temple and who delivered them in 1679. Both are 1.10 m high with pedestals of 50 cm. They were made to be in the niche of an altar and not for procession. There is a written reference of 1665 where it indicates that they had attire of clothes and dresses. Carving of the Virgin Mary and child, donated by the Diocesan Museum of Bilbao. It is a Renaissance carving showing a seated image carrying the child on her lap. Christ crucified, image of Renaissance style of the 16th century. It was part of the Vera Cruz of Durango. Carving of Saint Anthony the abbot, from the previous temple in which it is known that it occupied a side altar and that in 1690 it was moved to preside over the so-called "Cloister of the Pilgrims", where the different votive offerings that the faithful left in gratitude for different favors performed were collected. The image of St. Peter, made in bronze, is a scale reproduction of the image of St. Peter in the Vatican City.
Mosaics In the 1990s, the back walls of the altars were covered with mosaics, both in the main altar and in the chapel of the Holy Sacrament.
Mosaic of the High Altar (inaugurated in 1996): this work is intended to cover the big wall that closes the central nave and that serves as background to the high altar and is a work of the lay missionary Peli Romarategui that was designed by the priest José María Muñoz. It occupies 170 m2 and has more than 850,000 pieces that were made in the sanctuary itself. Its construction took more than two years. It represents an allegory of the cross turned into a tree that goes through the four seasons of the year. It is the course of man through his four times and the flowering of life represented by the Resurrected Jesus. Mosaic of the chapel of the Santísimo: it is of smaller size than that of the High Altar and was made by the same artists. It is the frame to place the carving of the crucified Christ. On a brown background there is a Greek Cross, like a nuclear mushroom clouds or the smoke of an erupting volcano, symbolizing injustice and wars. On the sides are located, in niches, the figures of the two Saints Anthony: on the right Saint Anthony of Padua and on the left Saint Anthony the Abbot. Under it is the tabernacle. Under the crucified Christ it states in Basque: ('glory (above) to God in the skies, glory (above) to God in the seas and in the mountains'). Other mosaics: in the chapel is a mosaic that frames the image of the Virgin and child and, then, next to the door of the sacristy, in a simple mosaic, the names of the Basque saints are collected. Stations of the Cross: a Stations of the Cross has been made and placed on the floor of the main nave. Made as a mosaic but with large pieces and made in the sanctuary itself, it has the characteristic that it has one more station, that of the resurrection.
Stained glass Along with the mosaics, several stained glass windows were made. The main one adorns the High altar and the images of the two Saints Anthony have been placed on them.
Stained glass of the High Altar: at the base of the wall, behind the High Altar, right in its center, begins this stained glass window that is striking for its colorfulness. It symbolizes the explosion of a grenade and brings the memory of the horror of war, especially the Spanish Civil War that left many dead in this place. It is the work of the glassmakers from Bilbao Cañadas. At the top of the wall opens a hole that has been covered with a stained glass window symbolizing the dove of peace. Work of Gabriel Ramos Uranga and made in the art workshops of Cuenca.
Other stained glass windows were designed by José María Muñoz and made by Peli Romarategui, in a workshop in the sanctuary itself:
Stained glass of the access doors: on one of the access doors there are stained glass windows showing the silhouette of the sanctuary. On another shows several hands in different positions holding a sprouting plant. Next to the sacristy and the chapel, as well as above the choir, there are sets of stained glass windows depicting the natural vegetation of the surroundings. They show different species of trees and plants. Stained glass of the walls: there are several sets of stained glass windows that close the different openings in the walls. On the side walls there are four stained glass windows showing motifs of the four classical elements, water, air, fire and earth.
History
The Urkiola area has been relevant in the beliefs of the inhabitants of these lands since prehistoric times. In its surroundings there are abundant archaeological remains and in its maximum height, the Anboto, the autochthonous mythology has located the residence of its maximum figure, Mari numen main of the pre-Christian Basque mythology.
The entry of Christianity did not erase the previous beliefs, which remained incarnated in the new creed. Therefore, the Urkiola site has always had a strong spiritual and religious expression. Even in the absence of documentation or archaeological findings to support it, it is estimated that the antiquity of the cult in this place is prior to the Middle Ages and is linked to the entry of Christianity in these lands.
The sanctuary of Saints Anthony the Abbot and of Padua was built on a primitive and simple hermitage dedicated to St. Anton, of which there are written references around 1212 when the Infanta Urraca indicated the alms for the hermitage. There are also more references to the year 1567 (one of the rectors of the sanctuary, Benito de Vizcarra, says he can fix the origin of the sanctuary between the 8th and 9th centuries from the legacies that appeared in a document of the will of the County of Durango in the 13th century) and in the 17th century. From the original building it is known that its altar faced east and was located at the entrance of the current temple and that it had a bell tower and portico. Since the 13th century the sanctuary is dedicated to the two Saints Anthony.
In 1308 Juan Alonso de Múxica is recorded as protector of the sanctuary. In 1567, apart from the hermitage, the complex was already composed of a house and a hospital and required an income of 61 ducats for its maintenance expenses.
In 1625, construction began on a church to replace the hermitage, also dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. The works were entrusted to Antonio López de Traña with whom Martín de Arriluceaga worked in masonry and Baptista de Orbea in carpentry.
In June 1646 the new church was inaugurated with a Latin cross plan with a single nave and dome. This church remained open for worship for 15 years. In 1553 the cloister was built, which was called the pilgrims' cloister, and the choir and sacristy were enlarged. These works were carried out by the stonemason Francisco de Elejalde and the carpenters Asensio de Ojanguren and Cristóbal de Eguizabal. The sacristy and the choir were built in 1662 and 1666, respectively. Shortly after, the altarpiece was built by the architects Juan de Bolialdea, Domingo de Ascorbe and Joanes de Iturriza, who finished it.
In 1756, with the approval of the Cabildo and the Patron Saint of Abadiño, it was erected as a parish, detaching itself from the parish of Saint Torcuato, Abadiño's main parish.